In an emergency nobody expects good German. The person who answers 112 needs a place, a short description and your phone number, and they'll ask for each one.
This page gives you those answers in advance, plus the words for accidents and thefts. Learn the first two tables now, while nothing is wrong.
Emergency Numbers in Germany
| Number | Who answers | When to call |
|---|---|---|
112 | fire brigade and ambulance | fire, serious injury, someone collapses, chest pain |
110 | police | crime in progress, violence, a road accident with no injuries |
116 117 | the medical on-call service | you're ill at night or at the weekend, but it's not life-threatening |
116 116 | card blocking line | your bank card is lost or stolen |
Quick notes:
- Both 112 and 110 are free from any phone. 112 also works in every other EU country.
- If you're unsure which number, call 112. They'll pass the call to the police if needed.
What to Say When You Call
German first-aid courses teach a checklist of questions. The person on the phone will lead you through them, so you only need the answers.
| Question you'll hear | What they want | You say |
|---|---|---|
Wo ist der Notfall? | the exact place | Bahnhofstraße 12 in Passau, im zweiten Stock. |
Was ist passiert? | what happened | Ein Mann ist zusammengebrochen. |
Wie viele Verletzte? | how many people are hurt | Eine Person. |
Welche Verletzungen? | what's wrong with them | Er ist bewusstlos. |
Bleiben Sie dran. | stay on the line | Don't hang up. Wait for their questions. |
Quick note: say where first. If the line drops, they can still send someone. On a motorway, the blue-and-white kilometre signs at the roadside tell you where you are, and the orange emergency phones send your position automatically.
Calling for Help
Help!
Hilfe!
Fire!
Feuer!
Watch out!
Vorsicht!
Call an ambulance!
Rufen Sie einen Krankenwagen!
Call the police!
Rufen Sie die Polizei!
Is there a doctor here?
Ist hier ein Arzt?
I need help.
Ich brauche Hilfe.
Stop thief!
Haltet den Dieb!
Practice these words
Hilfe!
Quick note: shouting Rufen Sie einen Krankenwagen! at one person works better than shouting it at a crowd. Point at someone: Sie da! Rufen Sie bitte die 112!
After an Accident
There's been an accident.
Es gab einen Unfall.
Someone is injured.
Jemand ist verletzt.
He's unconscious.
Er ist bewusstlos.
She isn't breathing.
Sie atmet nicht.
He's bleeding heavily.
Er blutet stark.
Please come quickly.
Bitte kommen Sie schnell.
I'll stay here.
Ich bleibe hier.
Nobody is hurt.
Niemand ist verletzt.
Practice these words
Es gab einen Unfall.
Quick notes:
- Helping is a legal duty in Germany. Not giving reasonable help, even just calling 112, is a crime called unterlassene Hilfeleistung.
- After a car accident with no injuries, you exchange details and, if you're unsure, call the police on 110. A rental car company will usually want a police report anyway.
Reporting a Theft or Break-In
I'd like to report a crime.
Ich möchte eine Anzeige erstatten.
My phone was stolen.
Mein Handy wurde gestohlen.
My wallet was stolen.
Mir wurde die Geldbörse gestohlen.
My bag is gone.
Meine Tasche ist weg.
My flat has been broken into.
In meine Wohnung wurde eingebrochen.
It happened on the train.
Es ist im Zug passiert.
I need a confirmation for the insurance.
Ich brauche eine Bestätigung für die Versicherung.
Can I have an interpreter?
Kann ich einen Dolmetscher bekommen?
Practice these words
Ich möchte eine Anzeige erstatten.
Quick notes:
- An Anzeige is the official report. Your insurer will ask for its reference number.
- For thefts and other non-violent offences, every German state lets you report online through an Onlinewache. Violent crimes and traffic accidents still go to the police directly.
Emergency Words
emergency
der Notfall
emergency call
der Notruf
ambulance
der Krankenwagen
fire brigade
die Feuerwehr
police
die Polizei
police station
die Polizeiwache
accident
der Unfall
injury
die Verletzung
first aid
die Erste Hilfe
witness
der Zeuge
theft
der Diebstahl
burglary
der Einbruch
pickpocket
der Taschendieb
Practice these words
der Notfall
Warnings You Might Hear
Attention!
Achtung!
Step aside!
Gehen Sie zur Seite!
Stop where you are!
Bleiben Sie stehen!
Please leave the building.
Bitte verlassen Sie das Gebäude.
Close windows and doors.
Schließen Sie Fenster und Türen.
Practice these words
Achtung!
Quick note: official warnings for storms, floods or fires arrive as an alert on your phone, called Cell Broadcast. The most serious ones sound even in silent mode. The national test day, the Warntag, is the second Thursday in September, when phones and sirens go off across the country on purpose.
Not Sure It's an Emergency?
Ill, but it isn't life-threatening? Call 116 117, day or night. Trained staff will assess your symptoms and tell you where to go: often an on-call practice, the Bereitschaftspraxis, sometimes a home visit.
Something happened, but nobody is in danger? Your local police station has an ordinary phone number for that. In Bavaria it's called the Polizeiinspektion, elsewhere often Polizeiwache or Polizeirevier.
Lost, not stolen? Lost items end up at the town's Fundbüro, the lost property office. Deutsche Bahn has its own for things left on trains.